Guy wire protector



Nov. 7, 1961 Q G. c. PRICE 7 GUY WIRE PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 7, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I .Geqzrzge (J. Price 55- ATTORNEYS Nov. 7, 1961 G. c PRICE 3,007,557

v GUY WIRE PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 7, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O 0 -'-44b 35m HOD/l 4819A INVENTOR EPA 6607:96 (ZPm'ce United States Patent Cli ce 3,007,557 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 7 3,007,557 GUY WIRE PROTECTOR George C. Price, Battle Creek Township, Calhoun County, Mich, assignor to Oliver Electrical Manufacturing Co., Battle Creek, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 61,320 13 Claims. (Cl. 189--31.5)

This invention relates to a guy wire protector having a novel universal clamping arrangement, and more particularly relates to such a protector including a connecting means which may be optionally clamped either to an anchor rod or to a guy wire.

Guy wire protectors are mounted about guy wire assemblies used for supporting poles, trees or other structures in an upright position. These protectors usually conceal the connections between a guy wire and an anchor rod which is usually driven into the ground, and they ac cordingly incorporate connecting means for attaching them at two portions thereof to the guy wire assemblies. The upper clamp of the protector, which usually incorporates an elongated open-sided sleeve, connects to the guy wire; and the lower clamp usually is secured to the anchor rod which is secured within the ground. However, in some instances, it is desirable to clamp the lower portion of the protector to the guy wire instead of to the rod. Since anchor rods range, for example, from /2 inch to 1% inches in diameter and guy wires range, for example from /2 inch to A inch in diameter, it is diflicult to provide a clamping arrangement which will operate dependably throughout such a wide range of sizes and shapes. Ordinary protectors, therefore, can be clamped to anchor rods satisfactorily but cannot be eifectively clamped directly upon guy wires, particularly those of a smaller diameter.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and economical guy wire protector which can be optionally clamped upon anchor rods or guy wires of widely varying size.

In accordance with this invention a row of holes is disposed along the length of the sleeve of a guy Wire protector near its lower end and remote and substantially parallel to the sleeves longitudinal centerline. A bolt is inserted through one of these holes and through a hole in an elongated clamping plate. The length of the clamping plate and the location of the holes are arranged to cause the clamping plate when its length is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal centerline of the sleeve to overlie the central portion of the sleeves interior suficiently to clamp an anchor rod within it. Furthermore, the width of the clamping plate is narrow enough to clamp a guy wire within the sleeve when clamping plate is oriented with its length disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the sleeve.

In accordance with one form of this invention several rows of holes are disposed along the length of the sleeve of the protector. One of these rows is disposed approximately along the longitudinal centerline of the sleeve, and another of these rows is positioned remote or displaced and parallel to this centerline. A clamping plate includes two threaded holes. One of these holes is positioned approximately upon the longitudinal centerline of the plate, and the other of these holes is positioned adjacent one of the sides of the plate. A clamping bolt is inserted through one of the holes in the elongated sleeve with its head protruding outside. This bolt is engaged Within one of the threaded holes in the plate for optionally clamping the protector to an anchor or guy wire. When this bolt is respectively inserted through and engaged within holes disposed along the longitudinal centerlines of the sleeve and plate, a guy wire is easily clamped between the plate and the sleeve. When the bolt is inserted through one of the holes displaced from the centerline of the sleeve and engaged within the hole near the side of the plate, the relatively long overhang of the plate facilitates the clamping of an anchor rod between the sleeve and plate.

A projection may be extended inwardly, for example, from a shorter side of the clamping plate, which is remote from the hole for clamping anchor rods, to help confine an anchor rod between the plate and the sleeve. In this condition the plate is positioned within the sleeve its projection extending towards the sleeve. When the plate is used for clamping guy wires, the plate is turned over with this projection extending outwardly away from the sleeve and with its shorter side lying across the inner curve of the sleeve. This permits the plate to be positioned as close as possible within the inside of the sleeve to facilitate the clamping of the relatively smaller guy wires. Furthermore, the head of the bolt may be laterally extended to maintain it directed away from the center of the sleeve when it is used for clamping anchor rods.

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar pants and in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view in elevation of an embodiment of this invention clamped to an anchor rod;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in elevation of an embodiment of this invention clamped to a guy wire;

FIG. 3. is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 1 along the line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 1 along the line 44;

FIG. 5 is a plan view or a clamping plate which is a portion of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a front view in elevation of the plate shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view in elevation of the sleeve portion of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 8 is a rear view in elevation of the sleeve shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a rear view in elevation of another embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a clamping plate used in conjunction with the embodiment of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a rear view in elevation of still another embodiment of invention;

FIGS. 12 and 13 are respectively plan and elevational views of a clamping plate for use in conjunction with the sleeve shown in FIG. 11; and

FIGS. 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views taken through an embodiment of this invention utilizing the sleeve shown in FIG. 11 in two dilferent modes of installation.

The two optional modes of installation of a guy wire protector 10 which is an embodiment of this invention are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 together with respective crosssectional views 3 and 4. Specific reference characters incorporating letter sufiixes are, accordingly, used in FIGS. 1-4 for parts designated by general reference numorals in FIGS. 5-8.

In FIG. 1 is shown a guy wire protector 10A which is, for example, installed upon a guy wire assembly 12A which includes a guy wire 14A, anchor rod 16A which is secured within the ground, and a wire-fastening assembly 18A which secures the looped end 20A of guy wire 14A to the eye 22A of rod 16A.

Guy wire protector 10A includes an open-sided elongated sleeve 30A, a top fastening means 32A fastened to the upper end of sleeve 30A for example, by rivets 34A. Top fastening means 32A which is, for example, a book 32 is also shown in more detail in FIGS. 7 and 8 and is 3 fully described in US. Letters Patent 2,264,430, issued December 2, 1941. Sleeve 30A is curved, for example, to approximately a 1 /2 inch radius.

The other means for attaching sleeve 30A to guy, wire assembly 12A is, for example, bottom clamping assembly 36A which includes rows of holes 38A and 40A disposed along the length of sleeve 30A as shown in detail in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Bottom clamping assembly 36 A also includes a bolt 42A which is, for example in FIG. 1, inserted through one of holes 40 parallel and remote from longitudinal centerline 44 of sleeve 30 shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 3 shows in detail the manner in which bolt 42A is inserted through sleeve 30A with its head 46A bearing against the outer surface of sleeve 30A. A lateral extension 48A of head 46A bears against the outer surface 50A of sleeve 30A and directs the shank 52A of bolt 42A away from the center of the interior of sleeve 30A. Shank 52A of bolt 42A is engaged within threaded hole 54A which is disposed adjacent a shorter side 56A of clamping plate 58A shown in detail in FIGS. and 6. Plate 58A in FIGS. 1 and 3 is oriented in a direction which positions projection 60A, which is, for example, formed at the end of clamping plate 58A remote from hole 54A, towards sleeve 3 0A. This projection 60A is, for example, formed by forging the end of plate 58A.

In FIG. 3 anchor rod 16A is clamped between sleeve 30A and plate 58A with projection 60A turned inwardly to help maintain rod 16A confined bet-ween clamp 58A and the inner surface 62A of sleeve 30A, Plate 58A is, for example, approximately 2 inches long and 1% inches wide which perm-its anchor rods ranging, for example, from /2 inch to 1% inches in diameters to be securely clamped.

In FIGS. 2 and 4 is shown another mode of connection of lower clamping assembly 36 which is specifically designated 36B to distinguish from the 36A mode of connection shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. However, it should be apparent that bottom clamp assembly 36B utilizes exactly the same parts as clamping assembly 36A arranged in a slightly different fashion which is now described in detail.

In FIGS. 2 and 4 clamping assembly 36A is fastened, for example, to the loop 20B of guy wire 14B and shank 52B of bolt 42B is accordingly inserted through one of holes 38 of sleeve 30 which are shown in FIG. 8. Holes 38 are disposed approximately along longitudinal centerline 44 of sleeve 30. Shank 52B accordingly passes through the center of sleeve 30B and, for example, through the center of the loop 20B of guy wire 14B. In this position plate 58B is engaged with bolt 42B by insertion of shank 52B through threaded hole 64B in plate 58B. Hole 64B is approximately disposed along the longitudinal centerline of plate 58B to permit it to be drawn as close as possible within the inner curve of sleeve 30 B. Plate 58B is accordingly turned with its shortest dimension provided, for example, by shorter sides 56B disposed across the inner curve of sleeve 30B and with projection 60 B directed away from inner surface 62B of sleeve 3013 to avoid interference with the clamping of guy wire loop 20B between clamping plate 588 and the inner surface 62B of sleeve 30B.

It is accordingly apparent that one simple assembly including rows of holes 38 and 40 in sleeve 30, bolt 42 and a clamping plate 58 including threaded holes 54 and 64 may easily be used in two optional modes of installation to clamp an end of sleeve 30 to either an anchor rod 16 or a guy wire 14. This guy wire, for example, ranges in diameter from Mt inch to /2 inch. Furthermore, the positioning of head 46 of bolt 42 externally of sleeve 30 together with the screw threads in holes 54 and 64 in clamping plate 58 highly facilitates clamping either to anchor rods or guy wires by simple application of a wrench to the head 46 of bolt 42 which extends outside of sleeve 30.

It should also be apparent that the mode of connection of clamping assembly 36 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 and designated by 3 63 may be used to clamp to single strands of guy wires 14 as Well as to the double strands provided by loop 20 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. As is also shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 8, the sides of elongated sle ve 30 are bent inwardly to form inwardly-directed flanges 66 to eliminate sharp edges on the sides of sleeve 30 and to help enclose guy wire assemblies 12 and clamping assembly 36.

In FIG. 9 is shown a protector sleeve 30a which is generally similar to sleeve 30 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 with the exception that the only two holes 38a are in cluded in the row disposed along the longitudinal centerline of the sleeve because attachment at this lower end is usually made through one of holes 40a remote from the centerline to an anchor rod. Furthermore hole 82a in clamping plate 58a shown in FIG. 10 is not threaded, and the plate itself is flat without a projection such as 60 shown in FIG. 6. Clamping plate 58a is accordingly secured by means of a nut (not shown) screwed upon the end of bolt 42a (also not shown), and the internal curve of the concave interior of sleeve 30a is sufiicient to retain an anchor rod in position in most conditions of service.

Sleeve 30a shown in FIG. 9 also ditfers from sleeve 30 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 in that upper clamping means 32a is formed directly of the material of protector sleeve 30:; itself as described in detail in copending application S.N. 35,261, filed June 10, 1960. This form of upper clamp includes a slot 700 through which a guy wire passes into the sleeve. The guy wire is retained against the convex outside end of the sleeve above slot 70a within indented longitudinal channel 72a, and it is held inside the sleeve below slot 7 011 within protruding channel 74a. Furthermore, a tab 76 locks the guy wire in place by having its hook-shaped end 78a bent over the guy wire to securely retain it.

In FIGS. 11-15 is shown another embodiment of this invention including protector sleeve 30b shown in FIG. 11 which has an upper attaching means 3212 which is for example similar to 32a of FIG. 9. It also includes a row of holes 40b disposed remote and substantially parallel to longitudinal centerline 44b. In FIGS. 12 and 13 is shown a clamping plate 58b substantially similar in form to plate 58 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6; however it only includes one hole 82b, which is for example, disposed adjacent a shorter side 56b of plate 58b and substantially upon the longitudinal centerline 84b. Hole 82b is threaded in a similar manner to holes 54 and 64 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show the mode of coimection of sleeve 30b to a guy wire and anchor rod. In these figures terminal sufiixes A and B are used to respectively designate the modes of installation corresponding to those shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively clamped to anchor rod and guy wire.

FIG. 14 shows protector sleeve 30bA together with a bolt 42bA clamping an anchor bolt 16bA within a protector sleeve 3011A. The condition shown in FIG. 14 is quite similar to that of FIG. 3 because a roW of holes 40bA remote from the centerline are utilized for clamping an anchor rod 16bA within the interior of sleeve 30bA. However, FIG. 15 is quite different from FIG. 4 because the same hole 40bB is utilized for clamping a guy wire 20bB within the interior of sleeve 30bB. Even though guy wire 20bB is clamped at a position somewhat displaced from the longitudinal centerline of sleeve 30bB, this does not prevent a reasonably satisfactory installation from being accomplished because the displacement is not sufiicient to unduly expose the guy wire.

This application is a continuation-in-part of prior patent application Serial Number 797,442, filed March 5, 1959, now abandoned.

What is claimed is:

1. A guy wire protector for installation upon a guy wire assembly including a guy wire and an anchor rod, comprising an elongated open-sided sleeve, means for connecting said sleeve at two parts thereof to said guy wire assembly, said means for connecting including a clamping assembly which comprises rows of holes disposed along the length of said sleeve, one of said rows being disposed approximately along the longitudinal centerline of said sleeve and another of said rows being displaced from and parallel to said longitudinal centerline, a clamping plate including at least two threaded holes, one of said holes upon said clamping plate being disposed approximately upon the longitudinal centerline of said clamping plate, the other of said holes upon said clamping plate being disposed adjacent one of its sides, a clamping 'bolt inserted through one of said holes in said elongated sleeve with its head disposed outside of said sleeve, said clamping bolt being engaged within one of said threaded holes in said plate for optionally clamping said sleeve to said rod or said guy wire, said bolt being respectively insertable through and engageable with a hole disposed along said longitudinal centerline of said sleeve and said clamping plate for clamping said guy wire within said sleeve, said bolt being respectively insertable through and engageable with a hole displaced from said longitudinal centerline of said sleeve and near said side of said clamping plate for clamping said rod within said sleeve, and said bolt being engaged with a hole in one of the aforementioned dispositions in accordance with the choice of connection to rod or guy wire.

2. A guy wire protector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said clamping plate has longer and shorter sides, and said other of said holes upon said clamping plate being disposed adjacent one of said shorter sides.

3. A guy wire protector as set forth in claim 2, wherein the shorter side of said clamping plate remote from the said side adjacent said hole for clamping rods includes a short projection, said projection being oriented towards said sleeve when said plate is used for clamping an anchor rod to help confine said rod between said plate and said sleeve, and said plate is turned in a direction away from said sleeve to avoid interference from said projection when said plate is used to clamp a guy wire between said plate and said sleeve.

4. A guy wire protector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the head of said bolt is laterally extended to maintain the shank of said bolt directed away from the center of said sleeve when it is inserted through a hole in said sleeve displaced from its longitudinal centerline to facilitate clamping a rod within said sleeve approximately along its longitudinal centerline.

5. A guy wire protector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said elongated sleeve is curved and said plate is formed as a flat rectangle, the curve of said sleeve and the dimensions of said plate being constructed and arranged to permit said plate when bolted through said hole along said longitudinal centerlines of said sleeve and plate to have its shorter sides lie sufliciently close to said sleeve to clamp a guy wire as small as A inch in diameter between said plate and said sleeve, and the longer side of said plate being long enough to overlie a rod as large as 1% inches in diameter when it is clamped by said bolt through a hole in said sleeve displaced from its longitudinal centerline and engaged Within said hole in said plate adjacent one of its shorter sides.

6. A guy wire protector as set forth in claim 4 wherein said sleeve is curved approximately to a 1 /2 inch radius and said plate is approximately 2 inches long and 1 /2 inches wide.

7. A guy wire protector for installation upon a guy wire assembly including a guy wire and a relatively larger diameter anchor rod, comprising an elongated sleeve having a substantially convex exterior and a substantially concave interior, means for connecting said sleeve to said guy wire assembly, said means for connecting including a clamping assembly which comprises a row of holes disposed along the length of said sleeve adjacent its lower end, said row being displaced from and substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of said sleeve, a bolt inserted through one of said holes, an elongated clamping plate disposed within said sleeve and including a hole through which said bolt is also inserted, the length of said clamping plate and the location of said holes being arranged to cause said clamping plate when its length is oriented substantially perpendicularly to said longitudinal centerline of said sleeve to overlie the central portion of the interior of said sleeve sufficiently to clamp said anchor rod within said sleeve, the width of said clamping plate being narrow enough to clamp a guy wire within said sleeve when said clamping plate is oriented with its length disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve, and fastening means for securing said clamping plate and said bolt to said sleeve about said guy wire assembly.

8. A guy wire protector as set forth in claim 7 wherein said row of holes displaced from and substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of said sleeve is the only row of holes adjacent said lower end of said sleeve, and said row being used for clamping both said anchor rod and said guy wire within said sleeve.

9. A guy wire protector as set forth in claim 7 wherein said hole in said clamping plate is internally threaded to facilitate securing of said bolt to said clamping plate by providing said fastening means.

10. A guy wire protector as set forth in claim 7 wherein said hole in said clamping plate is disposed adjacent to a shorter side of said clamping plate substantially upon the longitudinal centerline of said clamping plate.

11. A guy wire protector as set forth in claim 7 wherein another row of holes is positioned upon the longitudinal centerline of said sleeve for clamping said guy wire in a substantially central disposition within said sleeve.

12. A guy wire protector as set forth in claim 7 wherein said plate includes a short projection which is oriented toward said sleeve when said plate is used for clamping an anchor rod, and said projection being oriented away from said sleeve to avoid interference when said plate is used to clamp a guy wire between such plate and said sleeve.

13. A guy wire protector as set forth in claim 11 wherein said row of holes displaced from said longitudinal centerline extends closer to said lower end of said sleeve than said row of holes upon said longitudinal centerline to provide only means for clamping to an anchor bolt adjacent the extreme lower end of said sleeve.

No references cited.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION Patent No a 3 007 557 November 7 V 1961 George C a Price It is hereby certified that error appears in the ant requiring correction and that the said Letters corrected below.

above numbered pet- Patent should read as Column l line 68 after "anchor" insert rod Signed and sealed this 24th day of April 1962a (SEAL) Attestz- ESTON G e JOHNSON DAVID Ly. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

